Coca-Cola Vanilla facts for kids
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1.25 Litre bottle of Coca-Cola Vanilla
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| Type | Vanilla-flavored cola |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | The Coca-Cola Company |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Introduced | 2002 (first run) 2007 (second run) |
| Discontinued | 2005 (first run) |
| Variants | Diet Vanilla Coke, Coke Vanilla Zero |
| Related products | Coca-Cola Diet Coke Coca-Cola Black Cherry Vanilla Coca-Cola Cherry Coca-Cola with Lime |
Coca-Cola Vanilla (commonly referred to as Vanilla Coke) is a vanilla-flavored version of Coca-Cola, introduced in 2002 but subsequently discontinued in North America and the United Kingdom in 2005, only remaining available as a fountain drink. It was relaunched in the US in 2007; in Denmark in 2012, the UK in 2013, and Canada in 2016. Vanilla Coke has been available in Australia since its initial introduction in 2002, being produced by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. Originally announced as a limited edition in the UK, it became permanent for several years; however, it was again discontinued in the UK in Summer 2018. Despite this, the product has still been distributed in related brands Diet Vanilla Coke and Coke Vanilla Zero.
In 2003, Pepsi introduced Pepsi Vanilla to compete with Vanilla Coke. Virgin released their own vanilla cola in 2002 in the UK, the year before Coke released Vanilla Coke there.
Contents
Development
Original Coca-Cola already contains small amounts of vanilla. The history of adding additional vanilla flavoring to Coca-Cola, at least in the US, dates back at least to the 1940s when local soda fountain workers (soda jerks) would upon request add a "shot" (roughly two tablespoons) of vanilla syrup to a (12-16 oz) Coca-Cola fountain soda. For decades, this remained common practice in ice cream shops where vanilla syrup and Coca-Cola were both available. The Coca-Cola Company first tested a Coca-Cola blend with extra vanilla flavoring at the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee, along with Cherry Coke. After the introduction of Cherry Coke and the failure of New Coke in 1985, the company was hesitant to introduce anything radically new. It was not until April, 2002 that rumors began to circulate that the company was planning a new variation to their classic soft drink. The Coca-Cola Company was tight-lipped regarding the details of the new beverage, commenting to a London based newspaper, "We've always got a number of things in development," leaving open speculation for what was to develop. It was later revealed that testing for a vanilla flavor had been completed and that the new beverage would be available in months. However, in late April, 2002, the company announced that Vanilla Coke would begin production as early as May.
Marketing campaign
The marketing campaign for Vanilla Coke aimed to appeal across all generations. Yolanda Ball, brand manager for Coca-Cola Classic, said, "We had to learn how to balance the newness of vanilla with the established qualities of Coca-Cola". Vanilla Coke debuted at the Vanilla Bean Café, locally known as "the Bean," in Pomfret, Connecticut. The diet variety would be directed primarily at women. The first public tasting of Vanilla Coke took place in the Buckhead district of Atlanta at the Three Dollar Cafe with Atlanta radio station Q100 and their morning hosts from The Bert Show.
One of the first notable advertisements was a television ad created by The Martin Agency which was based upon the product's original campaign line of "Reward Your Curiosity". The ad featured actor Chazz Palminteri, in which he and another man pull a teenager (played by a young Aaron Paul) into an alley after catching him peering into a hole. Palminteri gives the boy a Vanilla Coke, as a reward for his curiosity. Their former website rewardyourcuriosity.com went along with the campaign and drew a large interest at the time. (In the Philippine version of the ad, Palminteri's role was taken by actor Johnny Delgado.) Ms. Ball described the ad: "We were trying to create something new and intriguing. Half of it was about new, different and change of pace, and the rest of it was about how people love and trust Coca-Cola. But we didn't have to say New from Coca-Cola. We didn't have to hit them over the head with it."
Distribution
The Coca-Cola Company announced in 2002 that Vanilla Coke would be introduced initially in the United States with distribution starting May 15, followed by a rollout in Canada. The introduction of vanilla flavor was hailed by The Coca-Cola Company as "the greatest innovation since Diet Coke in 1983". It also marked the 116th anniversary of the Coca-Cola Company. Later that year, it was introduced to the Norwegian, Swedish, and Icelandic markets of Europe. This was the first Coca-Cola variety introduced in Norway since Coca-Cola itself in 1937 and Coca-Cola Light in 1983. As of 2003[update], Vanilla Coke was marketed in several European countries as well as Australia and New Zealand (in mid-to-late-2002). By late 2003, the company had marketed Vanilla Coke in over 30 countries around the globe. During the 2016 Summer Olympics the vanilla and cherry version was presented to selected markets in Brazil. Today, It can easily be distributed using a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine, which injects vanilla syrup into Coca-Cola
Product information
Nutritional
| Average quantity | per 12 oz (≈355 mL) |
per 100 mL (≈3.4 oz) |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 140 calories | 44 calories |
| Protein | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fat, total | 0 g | 0 g |
| - saturated | 5 g | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 39 g | 11.0 g |
| - sugars | 39 g | 10.9 g |
| Sodium | 25 mg | 10 mg |
Packaging
Vanilla Coke was packaged in standard bottles in accordance with appropriate Coca-Cola packaging. For a brief period of time in mid-2003, the bottles that Vanilla Coke came in, which had before said Vanilla Coke, were changed simply to V (which matched Cherry Coke's new labeling showing a picture of a cherry).
As part of Coca-Cola's ongoing "One Brand" marketing campaign, a new U.S. packaging design for Coca-Cola Vanilla was introduced in January 2019. The new packaging follows the design principles already employed in the United States for Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, and Coca-Cola Life. The word "Coca-Cola" is superimposed upon a red disc with a light beige drop (representing a drop of vanilla syrup) below the text. The background color of the can or bottle is light beige in color. The word "Vanilla" is placed above the red disc, similar to the "Original Taste" text currently used on cans and bottles of original Coca-Cola.
Varieties
- Coca-Cola Vanilla (2002–05; 2007–present)
- Coca-Cola Vanilla Zero (2007–2019)
- Diet Coke Vanilla (2002–05)
- Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Vanilla (2017–present) UK, Sweden, New Zealand, US, Australia and Philippines
In late 2002, a sugar-free version, Diet Vanilla Coke, became available. In some countries, including Australia and New Zealand, a similar drink is marketed as "Diet Coke with Vanilla" and in others is known as Coca-Cola light Vanilla (or Vanilla Coke Light) In 2005, the sugar-free product in the United States and Canada became "Diet Coke Vanilla," with more emphasis on the Diet Coke label. All varieties were discontinued in 2005 in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Both varieties are still available in Australia and Hong Kong. Coca-Cola Vanille (translation) is also available in France and Germany. A new Coke Vanilla Zero was introduced in 2007, along with regular Vanilla. Only these two are available in the United States. The company has not announced any plan to resume production of Diet Vanilla Coke. Diet Vanilla Coke is, however, available using a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Vanilla was made available in the UK in April 2017 in 1.75 L bottles, 330 mL cans, 500 mL bottles and multipack of cans.
